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Alright. Thanks a lot for the info. It really pains me to see MB's reliability drop off like that. So far, my experience with the M272 has been nothing but pleasant but of course I keep up with maintenance.
It seems that as MB's sales started ramping up, their focus on reliability started to drop off. I come from an engineering background and it just doesn't sit right with me at all seeing MB's reliability where it is now while Toyota for example and in general, is making solid vehicles and much more reliable engines and transmissions.
I'm lost as to what to buy next: a 2016-18 GLE 350 4MATIC or a 2018+ Toyota Prado (which is similar to the Lexus GX in the US). I love the MB brand and we've been long time owners of MBs in the family but the reliability risks scare me.
I've seen your other contributions to the M274 failures threads and dear Lord what a horror show.
Schrempp started, then followed by Zetsche, cheapening the product and customers kept buying. Customers haven't decided yet that MB's poor quality is poor enough to stop buying. Now MB engines are built in Nissan factories and the result is expected - low quality econoboxes with the MB badge.
Schrempp started, then followed by Zetsche, cheapening the product and customers kept buying. Customers haven't decided yet that MB's poor quality is poor enough to stop buying. Now MB engines are built in Nissan factories and the result is expected - low quality econoboxes with the MB badge.
I'm experiencing poor quality, reliability, and a lack of parts with my 2016 GLE350. It's not looking too good to get mine back anytime soon- details to come on a separate topic.
Chassis - HELP!! I tried again today. First, I was gonna follow the FCP euro video. He makes it look so easy. I got to the part where he quickly says to remove the 2 bolts at the rear of the intake manifold. Ain't gonna happen. Totally inaccessible on my 2017 GLE350. Then I go to your way. I was making good progress and even got the ECU out. The driver's side bank was going to be tough, so I thought I'd start with #1 - front passenger side. I managed to get the boot off with great difficulty and cracked the plastic at the top of the boot. No biggie since I have new coils. Then I could not for the life of me get the connector off at the top of the coil. Yes, I had the gray tab pulled out. It simply would not budge. Is there a trick? I was pressing the gray tab down while it was pulled out. If the other 5 are this difficult, I might just say the heck with it, eat the cost of the parts already purchased and have the dealer do it. Bear in mind, I am very experienced with auto mechanics, having totally restored one vehicle and have been doing this for well over 50 years. Man, these connectors are no fun! Thanks for any help!!
Chassis - HELP!! I tried again today. First, I was gonna follow the FCP euro video. He makes it look so easy. I got to the part where he quickly says to remove the 2 bolts at the rear of the intake manifold. Ain't gonna happen. Totally inaccessible on my 2017 GLE350. Then I go to your way. I was making good progress and even got the ECU out. The driver's side bank was going to be tough, so I thought I'd start with #1 - front passenger side. I managed to get the boot off with great difficulty and cracked the plastic at the top of the boot. No biggie since I have new coils. Then I could not for the life of me get the connector off at the top of the coil. Yes, I had the gray tab pulled out. It simply would not budge. Is there a trick? I was pressing the gray tab down while it was pulled out. If the other 5 are this difficult, I might just say the heck with it, eat the cost of the parts already purchased and have the dealer do it. Bear in mind, I am very experienced with auto mechanics, having totally restored one vehicle and have been doing this for well over 50 years. Man, these connectors are no fun! Thanks for any help!!
Yes, the connectors are a challenge.
Start again. Push the connector body fully into place to be sure it is seated, and lock the grey latch.
Then release the gray latch. Squeeze the grey latch, push the connector together (in the assembly direction), then start wiggling the connector housing and gently pull it off.
Two problems are common:
1. The latch does not get properly or fully squeezed and therefore does not release. This requires experience and feel. Wiggling helps, as does pushing it together while squeezing the latch.
2. Fine dust builds up in the space between the connector housing and coil socket. The fine dust creates friction and creates fairly high resistance to connector removal. Wiggling helps.
Before reassembly, I wipe the coil connector clean and smear a thin film of dielectric grease on it, to serve as lubricant and a partial dust barrier. It makes coil connector removal much easier.
Same with the spark plug boots. The MB assembly grease dries into a hard glue and is a nightmare to pull boots off. Before reassembly, liberally lubricate the spark plug porcelain and boot with dielectric grease, and spin the plug around and in an out of the boot before assembly. This makes boot removal much easier next time.
Hi Chassis....I sure wish you lived nearby!! I spent about 4 hours and made very little progress on the plugs. I did manage to get #1 off and the connector disconnected. I pulled as hard as I could while wiggling #2 and could not get it off ( I probably spent an hour tugging and pulling and thinking of any special way to do this.). I removed the coil boot on #1 using the lisle plug removal tool but it doesn't fit on #2 or probably any of the others. And the way I got the connector off on #1 was by using a sharp awl type tool to lift the snap piece. I can't imagine having to do all this on all 6 plugs. So I basically gave up and reassembled. Next I called the local Mercedes dealer. Incredible prices. $1100 for just the plug (no new coils) and $850 to do the auto trans flush and fill. Total $1950. Darn plugs!!!!! I suppose if you assume you must destroy the coils to get to the plug, that works. My real concern is getting the connectors off. I tried your trick of pushing on and then pulling off. I end up destroying the connector guts. Gotta get back to my 1963 Triumph TR4 restoration. Never had these sorts of problems! (ok, I know the newer car is a ton better!!!)
I do have a call in to a local mercedes shop. They have to be cheaper!!!
Many thanks for your help and all the suggestions!!!
Tom
Hi Chassis....I sure wish you lived nearby!! I spent about 4 hours and made very little progress on the plugs. I did manage to get #1 off and the connector disconnected. I pulled as hard as I could while wiggling #2 and could not get it off ( I probably spent an hour tugging and pulling and thinking of any special way to do this.). I removed the coil boot on #1 using the lisle plug removal tool but it doesn't fit on #2 or probably any of the others. And the way I got the connector off on #1 was by using a sharp awl type tool to lift the snap piece. I can't imagine having to do all this on all 6 plugs. So I basically gave up and reassembled. Next I called the local Mercedes dealer. Incredible prices. $1100 for just the plug (no new coils) and $850 to do the auto trans flush and fill. Total $1950. Darn plugs!!!!! I suppose if you assume you must destroy the coils to get to the plug, that works. My real concern is getting the connectors off. I tried your trick of pushing on and then pulling off. I end up destroying the connector guts. Gotta get back to my 1963 Triumph TR4 restoration. Never had these sorts of problems! (ok, I know the newer car is a ton better!!!)
I do have a call in to a local mercedes shop. They have to be cheaper!!!
Many thanks for your help and all the suggestions!!!
Tom
Where are you located, generally? Try calling an indy shop.
Picked car up today, having had spark plugs replaced and trans flushed and filled. I asked how they removed coils/boots. He said it was important to have car hot....burn their hands or not be able to get boots off. So this is the key....drive the car for 5 miles then immediately get to it! And wear insulated gloves while pulling!!
@chassis Have to thank you for the great writeup on finding the aux battery. I wasn't sure where it actually would be in my early 2016 GLE but turns out it is under the left rear seat. It wasn't hard to get to with your instructions (although stubborn me had to learn why the rear cargo floor has to be removed).
I didn't think the battery would be that small either. I was hoping I could stick one of my extra UPS batteries in there but they are way too big. So I'll have to get the right size one. There's nothing wrong with the truck that could be attributed to that battery going bad but it's 7 years old so it's probably a good time to replace it - certainly now that I have done the work to access it. I beleive it's a UB1213 battery. The ones I'm seeing that aren't specifically for/from Mercedes seem to be between $15 and $20.
Interestingly, I found several orphan fasteners lying loose under the back of the seat once I had it off. They don't look like they belong there and they aren't anything that I remember using for anything. Maybe it's a bonus from Mercedes?
@chassis Have to thank you for the great writeup on finding the aux battery. I wasn't sure where it actually would be in my early 2016 GLE but turns out it is under the left rear seat. It wasn't hard to get to with your instructions (although stubborn me had to learn why the rear cargo floor has to be removed).
I didn't think the battery would be that small either. I was hoping I could stick one of my extra UPS batteries in there but they are way too big. So I'll have to get the right size one. There's nothing wrong with the truck that could be attributed to that battery going bad but it's 7 years old so it's probably a good time to replace it - certainly now that I have done the work to access it. I beleive it's a UB1213 battery. The ones I'm seeing that aren't specifically for/from Mercedes seem to be between $15 and $20.
Interestingly, I found several orphan fasteners lying loose under the back of the seat once I had it off. They don't look like they belong there and they aren't anything that I remember using for anything. Maybe it's a bonus from Mercedes?
Again, thanks very much for doing that writeup!
My pleasure! Good decision to change the battery preemptively.
So, I just replaced my original 7 year old main battery and aux battery preemptively also!
FYI, I paid $550 for both installed…
so I asked my Mercedes master mechanic (now independent shop owner) what the aux battery is for since I don’t have the auto start/stop feature. He said it controls the electronic shifting because they did away with the mechanical shifting…
Just thought I’d add something to the general knowledge base. Be well everyone!
Last edited by Chefcct; Dec 23, 2022 at 04:48 AM.
Reason: Better description
Forgot about this ...
I should also mention that if you have the rear seat heating there's a connector that has to be demated for the seat back before you remove it. There's another connector for the seat bottom if you decide to remove it too (I did, mostly to ensure that I didn't gouge it up when manipulating/removing the seat back).
Also, as far as what that battery is for, I seem to recall that in addition to shifting, it is part of the eco stop/start function. I've seen a writeup somewhere (maybe in WIS) about it that listed all the stuff it powers but can't recall all the details. At some point I should probably dig that up and post it here.
Huh, weird. They are internal links to this site. I will look into it.
Update: fixed. The formatting has changed over time and I attempted to change this, but the links broke. The links work now, but the formatting is a little off (text color in dark mode).
Chassis, it seems that the links aren't working again. I wanted to review your write up on the rear brakes, but I got a forum 404 error (page not found). Can you reset the links, or repost?
Chassis, it seems that the links aren't working again. I wanted to review your write up on the rear brakes, but I got a forum 404 error (page not found). Can you reset the links, or repost?
Thanks,
not OP but I want to say, not sure what is going on today with mbworld, the youtube embedded doesn't seem to be working at all across the site, is it working for you?
while waiting for OP, I found that if you quote his post then right click the links there and open in new tab it will work just directly clicking it, it doesn't work.
Chassis, it seems that the links aren't working again. I wanted to review your write up on the rear brakes, but I got a forum 404 error (page not found). Can you reset the links, or repost?
Thanks,
Yes, I need to fix it. The dark mode is messing things up and I tried something that didn't work. These links work but you might not be able to read the font in dark mode.
Workaround: on a desktop computer, select all of the text below and find the DIY you are looking for, then click the link. Selecting the text allows better contrast in dark mode. What a pain!
I changed the font color to "automatic" and it seems to work, and is visible in dark mode, but not light mode. I changed this page (page 30) and also the first 11 pages.
Not sure what to try so that the font is visible in dark and light modes, and the links don't break.
My Reflections After 12 Months and 15,000 Miles of Ownership – My First Forum Post
- My First Forum Post
Before diving into my review of my 2018 W166 GLE350 4MATIC, I'd like to provide a bit of context. For 13 years, I was the proud owner of a 2009 ML350 (W164) which served me well for an impressive 269,400 miles. However, it was time for a change, and I made the leap to the 2018 W166 GLE350 4MATIC with the Premium 3 package. This included the exterior AMG Line, Night package, trailer hitch, LED lights, Distronic and Parktronic, standard steel spring suspension with 20" 5 spoke wheels, all wrapped in Silver-Iridium Silver exterior and black leather interior.
Here are my thoughts on this remarkable SUV after a year of ownership:
Comfort and Quality: This SUV has proven to be incredibly comfortable for both long-distance trips and daily commutes. The quality of materials and interior design is top-notch, and the body rigidity is impressive. The luggage compartment is notably spacious, slightly roomier than what I was accustomed to with the W164. Fold down the rear seats, and I can easily fit two bicycles or, during the winter months, skis. The interior design is near perfection, with all switches and buttons thoughtfully laid out. I still prefer the older wheel switches for climate control over the newly designed layout of the W167.
Performance: This vehicle packs a punch in terms of power and acceleration, especially in manual or Sport mode. In Comfort mode, it effortlessly places you above the traffic, enhancing your listening experience when enjoying the Harmon-Kardon sound system. The M276 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 engine impressively achieves 22 mpg on the highway. Compared to my old W164 (which managed 19 mpg), this represents a significant improvement and savings for me.
Minor Gripes: I'm currently working on resolving an issue with the driver's seat creating squeaking noise. This is an aspect of the design that could certainly be improved.
DIY Maintenance: Being someone who handles my own maintenance, I've noticed the M276 engine is quite different from the M272. Changing the spark plugs, for instance, presented some challenges that have been widely discussed in this forum. Other routine maintenance tasks, such as changing the air filter, cabin filter, dust filter, and oil, have been straightforward. I expect similar ease when it comes to brake maintenance. Transmission servicing is scheduled for 60,000 miles at the local dealer, as I don't perform work beneath the car.
Tires and Tech Upgrades: Following a flat tire that couldn't be repaired, I switched to the new Continental CrossContact LX25 265/45R20 tires. These tires have made a noticeable difference compared to the former Continental 4x4 Contact, offering a smoother ride, better driving stability, and reduced wear. I rotate them every 5,000 miles as a part of my regular maintenance routine.
I also upgraded my infotainment experience by installing OTTOCAST Wireless Carplay, eliminating the need for a wired connection. This addition has made a significant difference, usually connecting within 5-10 seconds of starting up.
In summary, I have grown to love this vehicle. Its design and driving performance are exceptional, and even though maintenance is more complex than before, access to vital engine components remains relatively straightforward. It truly is a great car.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
